The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-08-08
Commissioner Edgerton Talks of the
Advantages of the Present System.
ry Fairchild's Plan for Reducing surplus
and Relieving the Money Market.
AKEY-NorE FOR CLEVELAND.

Secretary Fairchild on Practical and Senti.
mental Civil-service Reform.
Washington Special to New York World
Although the sdent has deferred reading
George William Gu. eiss address to the National
Civil-service Reform Association until he re-
ceives official copy of it, and the weather gets
cooler. it is known that he and his Cabinet have
of late devoted rable study to the civil
service problem Cleveland's executive
der foroddng aeral officers from meddling
in politics has become practically dead letter.
How to explain this lapse of virtue to the salts
faction of the mugwumps has puzzled the Presi-
dent and his advisers not little. Secretary
Fairchild. In interview to-day, has ap-
parently sounded the key note OF Mr. Clevelands
civil-service tactics in the next campaign.
Mr. Fairchild says he does not believe in the
Sentimental" civil service advocated by George
William Curtis and his followers. but he favors
practical" civil-service system. especially in
the minor Offices. He believes in the doctrine
that to the victors belong the spoils. so far as
relates to the offices which shape and control
the administration. Those offices which are
considered an element Of strength to the party
in power should he thinks, be in the hands Of
the victors at the polls. There many of the
minor Offices which have no voice nor influence
in framing the policy Of the administration,
which a positive weakness to the party in
control The Republicans admitted it. aud dur
ing the short period the Democratic party has
been in power that fact has become apparens.
Mr.. Fairchild admits that it has been the
tom for years back to regard all the federal off,
ces as spols of the battle The people have been
educated in that view and it is but natural that
they should expect to be recognized and
warded upon the success of their party at the
polls. Notwithstanding this time honored prac-
politics to make all the federal offices the prnci-
pal issue of every national contest Take, for
instance, the fourth-class postmasterships. He
contends that the administration is weakened by
almost every change in the officials of that grade.
There are usually more than one asprant and
each candidate las certain following. The
the chief basis of their claims for recognition
feeling of disappointment invariably follows an
appointment
He cited case in his own little town of Gaze
novia, N Y. There were several candidates for
the postmastership of that place. He recon-
NEEDED man who he thought was fully qualified
The disappointed aspirants had been active po-
.litical workers. and at the next election they
showed their displsasure at being overlooked by
assisting their politcallopponents, and the town.
usually Democratic, rolled up 200 Republican ma
jority. He saws il would be better for the peo-
pie generall if all the small Offices were removed
from politicJ entirely and conducted upon
pratica civil service basis. He realizes that it
will probably take several years to educate the
politicians up to such a point, but should the
system be given a fair trial it would undoubted-
ly commend itself to the leaders of both parties.
With all of the administrative Offices the
prizes of political success, there would be less
factional fighting and fewer political disappoint-
ments.
On the question of political activity by federal
officials Mr.. Fairchild says he does not under.
stand that the Presidents order the subject
prevents ofice-hode-s from voting their senti-
msnts expressing their political preferences
in the presence of their friends.
This interview was shown to Mr.. Fairchild to-
day, but he had no corrections to make. From
the above it appears that the civil il-service re-
formers divided into two classes-practical
and sentimental. Those who approve and in
dorse Mr. Clevelands policy are practical" re.
formers and those who do not will be classed as
sentimental" reformsrs The chances are that
the Presidenr will have little further for the
latter class Of reformers.